#GovJamCLT Is this Weekend - June 12-14

The Charlotte Shapers are giving you the opportunity to collaborate on solutions to problems and challenges facing the city. It’s a weekend-long event, dubbed #GovJamCLT (see hash on Twitter), with the goal of helping “Charlotte residents begin to make the increasingly important connections needed between government and those the public sector serves.”

You might be familiar with previous events and initiatives the Charlotte Shapers have done over the last couple of years, such as its annual business idea competition. Part of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community, the Charlotte group carries out the international organization’s mission of empowering young leaders (people in their 20s and 30s) to create solutions to problems around the world, essentially one community and city at a time. The Charlotte group’s primary focus is tackling youth unemployment, but they also address a wide range of issues, as you’ll see with #GovJamCLT.

#GovJamCLT Rundown

Date: June 12-14 | Friday, 5:45 - 9 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Admission: $15; covers all three days (each day that you attend, you get $5 back).
Location: The Junior League of Charlotte, 1332 Maryland Ave.

Part of the Global Gov Jam, when people around the world will come together for 48 hours, #GovJamCLT is open to everyone, and the theme of this “jam” will be announced at the start of the event (but you can presume it will be tied to local government). If you've never participated in an event like this before, all you need to do is come with an open mind and a desire to see positive change where you live.

Get complete details and register for #GovJamCLT at charlotteshapers.org/govjamclt.

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Michael Jordan's Emotional Speech Makes Me Proud to Live in Charlotte

The G.O.A.T. and Charlotte Hornets team owner Michael Jordan delivered an emotional speech last evening when he accepted the Charlotte Business Journal Business Person of the Year award. In his nine-minute-long remarks, he spoke from the heart--wiping tears from his face--and made you feel proud to live in Charlotte and North Carolina, saying specifically that when he bought the team five years ago it gave him the chance to come home.

Photo credit: @DavidHeadCLT

We all know that M.J. was raised in North Carolina and went on to be a college star at UNC, but he admitted that many people will always associate him with Chicago, understandably, because it was his years and accomplishments with the Bulls that made him a household name. But he elaborated on his many ties to Charlotte, one of which was that his parents moved to the Charlotte area when he got drafted by the Bulls in 1984, and was something I didn't know.

Luckily, someone recorded Jordan's speech and has posted it to YouTube, which you can watch below.

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Read About It: Understand Charlotte's Black Culture, And This Is a Story About More Than Race

In the current issue of Creative Loafing (Oct. 30-Nov. 5), is one of the most important and, in my opinion, most impactful stories I've ever written. It's the cover story and is titled, "Black-ish: An introspective look at why the African-American cultural scene struggles to thrive in Charlotte," and you can read it by clicking here. Since the story was published a few days ago, I've received (and observed) lots of feedback in person, via emails, in the web version's comments section, and mostly, of course, on social media--Facebook and Twitter to be specific.

I don't have much to add here other than to say that if you haven't read the story yet, I hope that you will. It's 3,500 words, so it's a long read, but I think you will find it to be engaging. I know that many people aren't comfortable talking about issues dealing with race--at least not in public--but if we don't have those discussions then we won't understand each other, and we certainly won't make progress as a society. I've been pleased with the enlightened conversations that have been going on so far from readers of the story.

And as I referenced in the guest column I wrote for Creative Loafing, which was published a week earlier and served as a bit of a preview to the feature story (click here to read the column; it offers a great narrative of Charlotte's Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard), I had been reluctant to write about race throughout my career as a journalist. But I realized that this was a story I needed to tell: how social segregation and lack of ownership are stifling Charlotte's African-American cultural scene--from young professionals to business owners--and the impacts that has on the city as a whole.

I believe you'll realize that this story is about much more than race. It's about how we relate to each other as human beings, and whether we are living up to the ideals we profess.

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The Big 4-0 for No. 88 a.k.a. Dale Jr. a.k.a. Junior from Mooresville; and It's Been Reason for Me to Celebrate

I had the privilege of writing about Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s newest milestone for the October issue of Charlotte magazine. Titled "Junior Turns 40," it's about, well, Junior turning 40 years old. But if you've gotten the chance to read the eight-page feature (the print issue came out about three weeks ago, the story went online two weeks ago), then you know the story is about much more than a birthday. It's about how much Dale Jr. means to this area (he's got a bar at the EpiCentre, his dad's got a roller coaster at Carowinds, to put each of them mildly), how much this area means to him (he still resides in his hometown of Mooresville), and sprinkled in between are anecdotes about how he's worth $300 million, has his name attached to more brands than Disney, and has been the most popular driver for more years than you have fingers.

Photo by Logan Cyrus for Charlotte magazine.

But if you've paid close attention to the story, then you've also realized that it's both a reflection of how Junior has grown and evolved over the years, just as any of us hope we are as we reach our 30th, 40th, 50th birthdays, etc.; and how the Charlotte area, including Mooresville, has grown and evolved with him. And, as the story illustrates, he's such a down-to-earth, humble person, that he'll even stop outside of his favorite hometown pizza joint to help a lady whose car won't start.

Since the story came out, I've received some of the most flattering feedback I've ever gotten during my career as a writer. One of the best came in the form of a tweet from Dale Jr.'s sister, Kelley Earnhardt:

@Hendrick88Team @CharlotteMag @DaleJr honestly best article I've ever read

— Kelley Earnhardt (@EarnhardtKelley) September 24, 2014

And I've received several emails from readers, expressing how much they enjoyed the story. Here are a couple:

Great work on the Dale Jr. piece. I really liked the ending about the billboard. Among many great insights, this was the best: "For years, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was famous because of his father. But time does funny things, and now that he’s older, the shift is apparent: These youngsters standing in front of the car only know who Senior is because they know who Junior is." I'm fairly certain every NASCAR writer is going to write a "Dale Jr. is 40" piece and frankly they shouldn't bother after this one.

I wanted to take the time to say I thoroughly enjoyed the recent article you authored about Dale Earnhardt Jr. Given his iconic stature, there is no shortage of articles about Dale, but there is a shortage of well written or insightful articles. I found yours to be both. You touched upon so many facets and nuances that I believe others miss, or dismiss, in their attempts to grab headlines or create them with their words.

Okay, enough of my victory lap (pun intended).

Now, Junior's big day is upon us. His birthday is this Friday, October 10, the day before he competes in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, his hometown track. My guess is that what he wants most for his birthday is to win the race Saturday night, to put himself in better contention to win the 2014 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup (the championship), which would be his first.

But he's probably been celebrating all week. According to a post on Whisky River's Facebook page, there was a surprise party for him Monday night:

Post by Whisky River CLT.

And even Dale Jr. shared a photo from the private party:

This is what a @mattgood @twentyonepilots combo will deliver. #Epic40th pic.twitter.com/jt9VNMK51I

— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) October 7, 2014

On Thursday, his girlfriend Amy Reimann is competing in the Better Half Dash, the annual fundraising competition in which the wives and girlfriends of several NASCAR drivers, crew chiefs, and team owners drive race cars. You can bet Dale Jr. will be there to cheer on his better half. And on Saturday afternoon, the speedway is throwing the Dale Jr. Birthday Pit Party.

And just imagine all of the celebrations we aren't privy to! Though, Dale Jr. has revealed some of his gifts on Twitter, @DaleJr.

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Steve Smith Tweets Out Against Domestic Violence

Several NFL players have spoken out against domestic violence in recent weeks, in the wake of the Ray Rice and Greg Hardy situations. And the latest to take a stance--via Twitter--is Steve Smith, who's in a rather unique position. See, Smith is a former Carolina Panthers player, as you know, and former teammate of Hardy; and he currently plays for the Baltimore Ravens, which was Rice's team until they cut the running back last week after the now-infamous inside-the-elevator video was released.

Credit: @89SteveSmith

I'm not digging in the weeds here on the NFL's domestic violence crises because it's being reported on around the clock on major news networks and publications. But I wanted to share Smith's tweets, in case you haven't seen what he posted last night. And in true Mr. Ice Up Son fashion, he didn't back down from smack talk from other tweeters. Click here to read the full thread.

You know its not that hard get!!!! Keep your damn hands off women!!!! God made women for you to Lean on them Not beat on them #RealTalk

— Steve Smith Sr (@89SteveSmith) September 18, 2014

@MattW88811 dark past. Go to @SteveSmithFDN and see what I do. You never heard me hit a women so it's not the same. Plus it was 6yrs ago

— Steve Smith Sr (@89SteveSmith) September 18, 2014

@MattW88811 I'm not judging I'm stating a current events that has happen. 64 homicides were related to domestic violence last yr in clt.

— Steve Smith Sr (@89SteveSmith) September 18, 2014

@MattW88811 I think these ppl have put themselves in a vonarable place to be judge by many other people. My mom is DV survivor.

— Steve Smith Sr (@89SteveSmith) September 18, 2014

The last time me and my wife were in elevator heading to our hotel room!!! We got this guy 9 months later.. #Realtalk pic.twitter.com/LV6P6uOrT5

— Steve Smith Sr (@89SteveSmith) September 18, 2014

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New for 2014 (Apparently), September Is 'Take a Man On a Date' Month

There are a few things a young man learns early on about dating: make sure your car is clean before you pick her up, keep gum in your pocket, and be prepared to pay for the date. Doesn't matter if he's 16 or 46, he follows those simple (unwritten) rules.

Now, we men sometimes experience a date night in which the woman pays, and that's like winning $100 from a scratch-off lottery ticket--it doesn't happen often (and you've already spent a lot during previous attempts), but you cherish it when it does.

Well, apparently September is "Take a Man on a Date" Month. It's exactly how it sounds, and it seems to be something new for this year. It's gaining steam on social media, of course, including plenty of people making fun of it. You can keep up with the tweets here.

I posted a pic on IG about September being "Take A Man On A Date" month. It got 1 like.

— Dr. Moswen Adofo (@ZsNuttz) September 3, 2014

If this month take a man on a date month and ion get taken out, take my number out your phone then

— Don Black P (@Blackson1283) September 2, 2014

How is September "take a man on a date" month? Mfs done made it up..

— Heartbreak Tay (@10VE_TAJ) September 3, 2014

September is take a man on a date month? Why didn't I hear about this last year? Oh right, it didn't exist.

— Mikal Henderson (@klutzzilla) September 2, 2014

September is take a man on a date month. Watch out guys. I spit game pic.twitter.com/chcHKGAIC9

— Isabel Ward (@IsabelWard8) August 31, 2014

What's also interesting is that this new, month-long "holiday" appears to have been started by a singles group from the LDS Church (also known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints a.k.a. Mormon Church). So the Mormons have sparked the latest dating trend, eh?

Whatever its origins, we'll take it. In the words of Aloe Blacc: I'm the man, I'm the man, I'm the man!

Follow me on Twitter @HollidayInk, like Grown People Talking on Facebook.

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2015 CIAA Tournament 'New Day-New Event' Press Conference Sept. 3 -- Watch Live; Plus, Backgrounder

Six months to the day after announcing that the CIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament would remain in Charlotte for the next six years, conference officials and their partners are holding their next press conference, themed as "New Day-New Event." The press event will take place Wednesday, September 3 at 1:45 p.m. at Time Warner Cable Arena, and the public will be able to watch it via live stream at theciaa.com.

The press conference will provide updates on the weeklong tournament, which in 2015 will take place February 23-28, giving more details on the new partnership between the CIAA, City of Charlotte, and the Charlotte Hornets. CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams, Charlotte Mayor Dan Clodfelter, Mecklenburg County Commission Chair Trevor Fuller, Hornets President Fred Whitfield, and CRVA CEO Tom Murray are scheduled to speak, discussing topics such as tournament ticket sales, hotel availability, VIP experiences in Time Warner Cable Arena, and official CIAA events, according to the press release I received.

Photo by Jon Strayhorn/Media Arts Collective

In 2014, the CIAA Tournament completed its 69th year, with Charlotte being its home for the last nine years, and during its time here has experienced phenomenal growth. The weeklong festivities, which in addition to the 20-plus college basketball games held over several days between the 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, are highlighted by the more than 200 parties and social events that go on that week, mostly unaffiliated with the CIAA but put on by independent party promoters and event planners. The events draw tens of thousands of visitors to Charlotte that week, including dozens of celebrities, and has close to a $50 million economic impact on the city annually.

The Charlotte Post published an article in July that said Bojangles' Coliseum could become a second site for the basketball tournament, specifically that the first two days of games, which are usually poorly attended, would be held there, while the Thursday-Saturday games, which typically get great attendance, would continue at Time Warner Cable Arena. I think that makes sense from a logistical standpoint, but the downside is that for those two days it would move the games away from Uptown, which is the center of all the CIAA-related action. One of the great things about the tournament's location, as it has been the last several years, is that you can park in Uptown (or take the light rail there) and walk to everything--the arena, convention center, hotels, and the majority of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs.

Another issue of contention for the CIAA is control over hotel rooms. Its commissioner has stated in the past that they want to receive contracts for large blocks of rooms at many Charlotte hotels so that they can better serve their fans, alumni, teams, and partners. If granted, it would be similar to what the Democratic National Convention had in 2012, which would allow them to handle room reservations and then turn over any remaining rooms back to the hotels by a specified date. This would also help prevent price gouging that tends to go on in regards to hotel room rates that week. February/early March is a slow time for hotels here, but the week of the CIAA Tournament often sees rooms go for two or three times the normal rates, and they still tend to sell out.

Founded in 1912, the CIAA is the nation's first African-American athletic conference, and it represents rich tradition and history for African-Americans who have graduated from its colleges and played on its sports teams over the last 100 years. Some students are now the third or fourth generation in their family to attend a CIAA school, dating back to a time when blacks were denied admission to most colleges in this country. Today's 12 CIAA schools are: Bowie State University, Chowan University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, The Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Livingstone College, Saint Augustine's University, Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, and Winston-Salem State University. 

You can keep up with the CIAA on social media: facebook.com/theciaa, twitter.com/ciaaforlife, instagram.com/ciaasports.

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ICYMI: 50 Things Every Charlottean Should Do

Since debuting three weeks ago, the August issue of Charlotte magazine has been a popular topic around the city, led by its cover story on "50 Things Every Charlottean Should Do." The large feature package--encompassing 20 pages in the print issue--is a must-read whether you're a native or a newcomer or you fall somewhere in between. If you're someone who used to live in Charlotte or periodically visits the area, you'll enjoy reading this story as well.

A lot of people have shared the link to the story on social media, often commenting on how many of the 50 things they've done. Personally, I've done 46 of the things on the list during the nine years I've lived in Charlotte (today actually marks nine years ago that I moved to Charlotte from Augusta, Georgia).

Most of the activities, like "Wait in line for Price's Chicken," "Spend a day at the U.S. National Whitewater Center," and "Gain perspective at 1,625 feet," which is about hiking Crowders Mountain, illustrate just how robust and varied the list of activities are that this area has to offer. Others are more anecdotal, like "Be friendly" and "Don't assume everyone works for a bank," providing a little insight into Charlotte's culture and history, the latter of which people tend to not know much about, as this is a city filled with transplants.

I was one of eight writers to contribute to 50 Things Every Charlottean Should Do (and I'm profiled on the contributors page, pg. 14). The feature is also filled with beautiful photography.

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Ryan Lochte Eats 10,000 Calories... In One Meal!

Ryan Lochte ate in one sitting what you probably ate total the last three days.

The 11-time Olympic medal-winning swimmer (including five golds) shared a photo on Twitter Monday afternoon, showcasing what he was about to eat for, what I presume was, lunch. He offered the caption: "#Streamlining in preparation for my 10,000 calories. Let’s see your best pose. @swimtoday #funnestsport." It was talked about today on ESPN's Pardon The Interruption (near the end of the show, which is how I found out about it; h/t).

As most of you in Charlotte probably know, Lochte moved to the Queen City last October to train with the renowned SwimMAC Carolina and its Team Elite, which is filled with several past Olympic champions and current and future contenders.

You're wondering how far above the recommended daily caloric intake Lochte is, right? Well, according to websites like WebMD and CalorieKing, someone of Lochte's demographic (male, 6 feet, 2 inches tall, 195 pounds, age 29--he turns 30 on August 3) who lives an active lifestyle, should consume about 3,000 calories a day to maintain his weight. Of course, he's extremely active as a world-class swimmer, so it should be expected that his caloric intake would be off the charts. Professional swimmers (i.e. Michael Phelps) are known to consume high amounts of calories to keep up with the extreme amounts they burn when rigorously training.

Lochte's rather active on the social scene as well. Two Saturdays ago I spotted him, and his good friend and fellow Olympic swimmer and Charlottean Cullen Jones, at Vault nightclub at the EpiCentre. He's also a regular at Oak Room in South End. That's why back in December, on my Dusk Till Dawn blog, I included him in my year-end list of "Biggest Moments in Charlotte’s Nightlife and Social Scene in 2013."

Play hard, work hard... or as Lochte would say, jeah!

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Heck Yeah, I'm Bragging... Go Cocks! Year of Highlights

I received an email this afternoon from the University of South Carolina Athletics, with the subject line: Brag on your Gamecocks‏. The email contained the link to a video of highlights from several USC sports from the 2013-2014 seasons, and a list of the "Gamecock Top 10" from the year. As a proud alum, I nearly busted out into a "Gaaaaaaaammmmmmme ... Cocccccccckkkkkkks," fascinated by how much our talented student-athletes have accomplished.

My view at the Gamecocks homecoming game last year. Photo by Jarvis Holliday

Here's the list, verbatim:

2013-14 GAMECOCK TOP 10
1. Two SEC Champions (Women’s Basketball and Equestrian).
2. Capital One Bowl Champions.
3. Two National Coaches of the Year (Boo Major, Equestrian, and Dawn Staley, Women’s Basketball).
4. Eight teams finished the season ranked in the top 25 nationally in latest poll or national championship of their respective sports (Equestrian - 2nd, Football – 4th, Women’s Golf – 6th, Women’s Basketball – 8th, Men’s Golf – 9th, Women’s Soccer – 15th, Women’s Indoor Track & Field, 19th, Baseball – 23rd).
5. 28 All-America and 20 All-SEC selections.
6. One of only four schools in the nation to have its men’s and women’s golf, men's and women's tennis, softball, and baseball teams all invited to play in their NCAA Championships.
7. Leader in SEC Academic Honor Roll Selections.
8. 59 Student-Athletes earned a 4.0 GPA and 300 Student-Athletes earned a 3.0 GPA.
9. Student-Athletes performed more than 5,000 hours of community service.
10. THANK YOU to the more than 1.16 million fans who attended Gamecock home athletic events last season!

And there was also this line: "What would you add to this list? Tweet it to us @GamecocksOnline."

Since they asked, I would've added Jadeveon Clowney being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft to the list. Perhaps they wanted to highlight team and overall accomplishments first, but that fact would've been on my list considering that's the first time a Gamecock football player has ever been the top draft pick, and it represents how strong our football program has become in that these are the caliber of players we now successfully recruit.

Below is the highlight reel.

I'm even more excited about what the 2014-15 sports seasons will bring... forever to thee!

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No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: DeAngelo Williams Gives Up Business Class Seat for Marine (Maybe)

Coming off of the Fourth of July holiday weekend, in which we were all being patriotic Americans (and by that I mean shooting fireworks, cooking on the grill, going to the movies and baseball games, and taking long naps), Carolina Panthers' running back DeAngelo Williams displayed true patriotism. He shared on his Facebook and Twitter accounts Monday that he gave up his business class seat on his flight to a Marine.

On Facebook, DeAngelo added this caption to the photo: "He just doesn't know it yet but he will be sitting in this seat when he boards the plane. I always give up my 1st class seat! #isalutethetroops!"

And on Twitter, he remarked: "I always give up my seat to military if my seat is better! I truly appreciate our troops #flyingtherightway"

His public display of goodwill made the rounds on several national news outlets, pop culture websites, sports blogs, and, of course, Charlotte news, and was lauded by many on the social networking sites. But it was also met with criticism by some on social media who took issue with the NFL star being "showy" about his good deed. Love and hate comes with the territory on the Internet, so...

But the online comments also quickly took an unexpected turn. Many commenters said that DeAngelo had been duped by a faker because the so-called Marine's uniform display broke protocol:

"You don't wear shooting badges while displaying medals in the dress blue alpha uniform. Anyone with that much time in service would know better. Also looks like the silver and bronze star medals are incorrectly placed by precedence."

"I'm gonna be honest here. He looks like a "faker". I'm a Marine and he is wearing his cover indoors. NO MARINE WEARS THEIR COVER INDOORS. Something is fishy DeAngelo Williams, don't give up your seat to him!"

"That is a great thing to do, however, I am a Marine and that man is NOT! He is faking."

Perhaps the Marine in question, who appears to be an elderly man, will come forward to clear the air. Regardless, I hope this doesn't cause others to second-guess their kind gestures to servicemen and women in the future.

It should also be noted that actress Amy Adams made headlines a week earlier for giving up her first-class seat to a soldier. Except in this case, the notable deed was announced on social media by someone else--ESPN's Jemele Hill--who happened to witness the act.

Just saw actress Amy Adams do something incredibly classy. She gave her 1st class seat to an American soldier. I'm an even bigger fan now.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) June 27, 2014

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Charlotte Hornets Unveil New Uniforms -- Larry Johnson's Not Walking Through That Door, Fans

Is the buzz starting to wear off already? Nah, I don't think so. But some Charlotte Hornets fans are feeling a little stung today after team officials unveiled the highly anticipated new uniforms. My first reaction was like, "they're okay." And then I felt that the design of the new jerseys and shorts will grow on me. But the reaction was pretty much either love it or hate it for many of the fans commenting on social media (isn't it always like that for commenters, though), especially on the Hornets' Facebook announcement.

Charlotte Hornets will wear these uniforms during the 2014-15 NBA season. Credit: Hornets

This is basically what it comes down to. A lot of people who are excited about having the Hornets name, brand, and colors return to its rightful city, are holding on too tightly to nostalgia. They weren't going to be happy with the new uniforms unless they looked almost exactly like what Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning, Dell Curry, and Muggsy Bogues and 'em wore during Charlotte's NBA heyday (like the team gear Kriss Kross and I rocked as kids).

Credit: bleacherreport.com

Like Rick Pitino infamously said during a press conference back in 2000 while he was head coach of the Boston Celtics: "Larry Bird's not walking through that door, fans. Kevin McHale's not walking through that door, and Robert Parrish is not walking through that door. And if you expect them to walk through that door, they're going to be gray and old." Larry Johnson's not walking through that door, Hornets fans, and neither are the 1990s-era uniforms. Muggsy is though--he's an ambassador for the team and the new look.

I'm still excited about having the Hornets back, and here's to the future!

See the descriptions breakdown of the new uniforms and the unveiling video. And by the way, the uniforms are on public display inside the atrium of Mint Museum Uptown through July 10 (it's free to enter the atrium so go check them out in person).

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Dove Men+Care 'Calls For Dad' Commercial Is a Hit Leading Up to Father's Day

Dove Men+Care continues to create impactful campaigns around its line of men's grooming products. The latest is its "Real Dad Moments" campaign, and just in time for Father's Day the company debuted a "Calls For Dad" video. The minute-long commercial (though Dove is describing it as a short film) was posted to YouTube on Monday and has become an instant hit. The video has received more than four million views in four days.

You'll see sons and daughters of all ages calling for "dad" or "daddy," from little boys and girls learning to swim and potty training, to grown men and women at weddings and moments of distress. In the video's description, Dove writes: "Three quarters of dads say they are responsible for their child's emotional well-being, while only 20% of dads see this role reflected in media. It's time to acknowledge the caring moments of fatherhood that often go overlooked."

The brand encourages you to share your pride for your father on social media using the #RealDadMoments hashtag. And it is embedding several of those photos on the Fatherhood section of its website, as you can see in the screenshot below.

I'm happy to see fathers being recognized in such a positive way. I grew up with my father in my home and in my life, but I realize that's not a reality for a lot of people. Hopefully this campaign will make the good dads feel appreciated, and will motivate the dead-beat dads to change their ways. I remember specifically last year seeing numerous posts on Facebook on Father's Day. But rather than it being of people celebrating their fathers, a lot of the posts were from people dissing their dads for not having been involved in their lives or single mothers speaking out about how they have to play the role of both parents (with some mothers saying Father's Day is for them too). That's tough, and I certainly sympathize, having seen the impact of absentee fathers throughout my family, friends, and community, but Father's Day should be reserved for saluting the good dads.

I had the privilege last year of going on set of a Dove Men+Care commercial shoot that took place at Jay Bilas's Charlotte home. Bilas, a popular ESPN college basketball analyst, was featured prominently in the "Real Moments" campaign that premiered nationally during NCAA March Madness 2013, and that also included separate commercials of Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade with his kids. The Bilas shoot occurred at his home that January, and I got to go behind the scenes as camera crews filmed the Bilas family in funny and down-to-earth moments. I wrote an article about it for Charlotte magazine's website.

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Gumball 3000 Rally In Charlotte -- Sights and Sounds

The Gumball 3000 Rally is currently making its way from "Miami 2 Ibiza," stopping in several major cities along the way and wowing audiences with its cars. If you're not familiar with Gumball 3000, it's a lifestyle brand, founded by British entrepreneur Maximillion Cooper, highlighted by exotic car culture but also includes fashion and entertainment. The annual Gumball rally has grown in popularity over the last few years, and a lot of the participants, who are coming from all over the globe, are wealthy--they're driving some of the world's most expensive and rare cars--and a growing number of the drivers on the rally are celebrities.

After leaving Atlanta, Gumball stopped in Charlotte last Friday, spending a few hours with several of the cars on display in front of the NASCAR Hall of Fame for the public to view (the drivers were given a private tour inside the HOF and ate lunch there). I actually received a media invite in advance to come out, meet the drivers, and even take a ride in a rare Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder, but I had to decline because I was going to be out of town (I attended my nephew's high school graduation, so it was worth it). I was curious about what I missed--I knew it would be a great event--so I checked social media to see what kind of photos and videos had been shared.

Credit: @NASCARHall

Here's a two-and-a-half-minute video of the Atlanta and Charlotte stops, posted by Gumball's official YouTube channel.

Here's a seven-minute video by GTBoard.com that shows the display of cars in front of the HOF and includes a quick interview with the Gumball creator.

And there are a lot of great photos on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Among the celebrities spotted in Charlotte were DJ/producer deadmau5, rapper Bun B, acclaimed photographer Estevan Oriol, and rapper/actress Eve. Eve is engaged to Maximillion (they're getting married this Saturday).

Post by GMP Performance.

Post by Versiontwo Laboratory.

After leaving Charlotte, the Gumball drivers headed to New York City. Today, they're in London and Paris. The life! Follow all the action at gumball3000.com, and the official Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts (all are @gumball3000).

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'Time For Three' But No Room On Plane For Violins

At first I was like, who cares? But then I thought about it some more and realized this is really important to musicians who travel. Two members of the band Time for Three were attempting to board a US Airways flight at Charlotte Douglas International Airport yesterday when they ran into a problem regarding their instruments. The flight crew told band members Zach De Pue and Nicolas Kendall that they would not be able to bring their violins aboard the plane, saying it was against FAA regulations (that's being disputed) and instead would need to place them with the checked luggage. The musicians refused, and one of them recorded a video on his cell phone during the "standoff" (soon after posting it onto YouTube). After not boarding their original flight, they also did what is common with gripes these days, they took their complaints to social media, which reportedly helped persuade the airline to allow the band members to board a later flight with their instruments.

The little-longer-than-two-minutes YouTube video has received more than 60,000 views in less than 24 hours, along with a couple hundred comments (seemingly most siding with the musicians).

A friend of mine is a DJ, and I remember talking to him one time about how he travels around the country for parties and shows he's booked for. He said he carries his DJ equipment, primarily a laptop and digital turntables, on board the plane because not only is this valuable cargo, but if it would happen to get misplaced, as luggage is often lost or delayed with flights, it would jeopardize his ability to perform at his scheduled event. And I'm sure that's why the violinists wanted to carry their instruments on board their plane departing Charlotte. I do think they were acting a little like D-bags in the video though. The pilot and flight crew were simply doing their jobs, even if there's some inconsistency in the enforcement of the rules.

Time for Three posted this photo on Instagram of them in the Charlotte airport concourse (at least there are rocking chairs), awaiting a decision to let them board a later flight.
Credit: instagram.com/timeforthree

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Welcome Back, Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Bobcats officially became the Charlotte Hornets yesterday, returning the name of the city's original NBA team after being gone for 12 years. Many of you have been keeping up with this transition that's been in the works for the past year; some of you haven't; I have relatives living in other parts of the country who never realized the Hornets even left Charlotte. Well the name is back, and while I had my doubts in the past, I bee-lieve the excitement from the fans will bode well for the franchise this upcoming season and beyond.

New Hornets signage at Time Warner Cable Arena in Uptown. Credit: @CBJnewsroom

Here are a few things you should know, according to the Charlotte Hornets' official announcement yesterday:

• The team has secured all of the important online Hornets domains: hornets.com, facebook.com/hornets, twitter.com/hornets, instagram.com/hornets, google.com/+hornets.
• The new-look Hugo the Hornet mascot debuts June 5.
• On June 9, the franchise will officially launch its renamed charitable foundation (formerly known as Cats Care) and will spend that day volunteering on beautification projects at Hornets Nest Elementary School.
• The new purple and teal team uniforms will be unveiled on June 19.
• On June 26, the new playing floor will be revealed at Time Warner Cable Arena, just hours before the Hornets participate in the NBA Draft (the team has the ninth overall pick).
• The Charlotte Hornets will return to action July 11-21 at the 2014 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Also, as I'd previously blogged, the newly named Charlotte Honey Bees dance team (twitter.com/thehoneybees, instagram.com/thehoneybees) is holding auditions June 7.

Credit: Hornets

The Hornets also received a lot of love on social media from several of the city's other sports' professional athletes, including Dale Earnhardt Jr. (a nostalgic tweet) and Cam Newton (a swagged out Instagram video).

The Charlotte Hornets are back...again...for a third time. #BuzzCity pic.twitter.com/Nzn2vL2xTp
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) May 20, 2014

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Happy 25th Birthday Cam Newton!

Cam Newton turns 25 years old today. We tend to forget how young these star athletes are, when we're creating high demands and expectations of them on the playing fields and beyond. And Cam is entering his fourth season as the starting quarterback of the Carolina Panthers, of which he's now the de facto leader. Add in that he has his own clothing line, a charitable foundation, and lives in the same Charlotte condo building as Michael Jordan (and he recently began using his Twitter account and joined Instagram), it's safe to say the young man has accomplished a lot in a few years.

Credit: Cam Newton Foundation

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Music Box Lunch Series and Free Fitness Sessions at Romare Bearden Park

Romare Bearden Park is a beaut, and has quickly proven to be a great addition to Uptown Charlotte. Operated by Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, and open since last fall, the urban park is really coming into its own, both in popularity with visitors and the programming it offers.

Credit: Derrick Montgomery/Flickr

There are three event series that have recently kicked off at the park that you'll be interested in, and each is free and open to the public, scheduled through September.

Music Box Lunch Series: Taking place Tuesdays and Fridays, noon to 1:30 p.m. Bring your lunch, grab a seat on a bench or at one of the patio tables, and enjoy live performances by local musicians and bands.

Party in the Park Series: Each Wednesday, 5:30-8:30 p.m., bring your folding chairs or blankets and get comfortable on the lawn after work, as local and regional bands perform live.

Fitness Program: This series is the most surprising--in a good way--because it's common to find music series going on at city parks, but to see a program that's addressing physical fitness is awesome. A variety of fitness sessions are offered Monday through Thursday, such as yoga/pilates, boot camp, and zumba.

Credit: James Willamor/Flickr

Credit: Instagram @paulbunyunbeardgang

As you can see from the photos I've embedded above, visitors of Romare Bearden Park (located at 300 S. Church Street, and across from the new BB&T Ballpark) often share their experiences on social media. You'll find several captivating photos posted on Instagram and Flickr.

Go to romarebeardenpark.charmeck.org for complete details, and follow on Twitter @rbeardenpark.

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Something You Don't See Every Day - Fire Truck On Fire

Credit: Twitter

A Charlotte fire truck crashed this morning on Ardrey Kell Road in the Ballantyne area. After overturning, the large truck caught fire, creating an even more bizarre scene. A passerby captured a short cell phone video soon after it happened, and before emergency vehicles arrived.

Four Charlotte Fire Department firefighters were reportedly injured in the accident. Let's hope these brave first responders make a full recovery.

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'PostSecret The Show' -- Go See It!

Do yourself a favor and go see PostSecret The Show at Booth Playhouse before it closes this Sunday, May 4. The show has actually been running for a week now, but it might be a bit of a secret to some of you. I had the privilege of seeing it last evening with a group of friends, and it's one of the best, most thought-provoking, and emotion-stirring live shows I've seen in awhile.

PostSecret, the brand, began in 2004, founded by Maryland-based Frank Warren as a community art project. He invited people to mail him anonymous postcards, confessing their secrets, and he would select some each week to post to his blog, PostSecret.com. It quickly grew to become one of the most popular blogs in the world, and today has received more than 650 million visits--Frank has received more than half a million postcards, all to his home address. He continues to post new postcards every Sunday. And, of course, he's gone on to write several bestselling books about the experience.

PostSecret The Show truly brings those postcards to life. I was amazed at how the one or two-sentence anecdotes were so riveting. Funny secrets--about pulling pranks and embarrassing confessions; sad secrets--thoughts on wanting to commit suicide or being victims of abuse; astonishing secrets--infidelity and crimes committed. It all comes together to convey that we really don't know what people are holding inside, and it reminds us just how alone in this world some people feel.

Actors Birgit Darby, J.R. Adduci, and Kerry Ipema in PostSecret The Show. Credit: Blumenthal

A group of Charlotte bloggers, including me, were invited to attend a dinner last week with Frank and the team of writers and producers responsible for turning PostSecret into a stage play (most of them are from Vancouver). That's where I learned that Charlotte, because of the presence of the great Blumenthal Performing Arts, is the debut city for this show, so Charlotteans are the first people anywhere to see it. You have four more opportunities to experience if for yourself:

Wednesday, Apr 30, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 1, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 2, 8 p.m.
Sunday, May 4, 3 p.m.

Tickets range from $19.50 to $39.50. Visit blumenthalarts.org/postsecret for complete details.

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